One-man band apparatus



July 21, 1970 B. l. GIBBONS ONE-MAN BAND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Shed 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1968 A F j 6' a. 3 A

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BY fg ATTORNEY Patented July 21, 1970 3,521,516 ONE-MAN BAND APPARATUS Bert Irie Gibbons, 4620 Calmont St., Fort Worth, Tex. 76107 Filed Sept. 3, 1968, Ser. No. 756,940 Int. Cl. Gf 1/20; G10d 1/08, 3/11 US. Cl. 84-9 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pair of stringed instruments of the electric guitar type each having an upstanding post corresponding to a guitar neck mounted on a common platform or base, in spaced apart relation to each other, with the strings arranged along one side of the respective necks or posts facing laterally outwardly in opposite directions.

The instruments which comprise the invention may be operated either individually or both at the same time, by use of either the hands or the feet, or any combination of hands and feet, or any one of them, as in a one-man band, where the player is busy with other instruments at the same time, or where the player is an amputee.

This invention relates to a one-man band apparatus, and it concerns more particularly a pair of stringed instruments of the electric guitar type each having an upstanding post corresponding to a guitar neck mounted on a common platform or base, in spaced apart relation to each other, with the strings arranged along one side of the respective necks or posts facing laterally outwardly in opposite directions.

The instruments which comprise the invention, as hereinafter more fully described, may be operated either individually or both at the same time, by use of either the hands or the feet, or any combination of hands and feet, or any one of them, as in a one-man band, where the player is busy'with other instruments at the same time or where the player is an amputee.

In one form thereof the invention includes a pair of treadles, one corresponding to each of the necks or posts,

which are mounted on the platform or base between the posts, and two other pedals, also mounted on the base, which are positioned laterally outwardly relative to the posts, on opposite sides of the base.

The treadles advantageously may have upward extensions forming, with the treadles, hand operable levers.

Either or both of the pedals on opposite sides of the base, which coact with connecting linkage to operate one or more picks arranged to traverse the strings of the corresponding instrument, may be replaced by mechanical means including an electric motor, as desired.

Each of the instruments, which does not include a sound box, has means at the lower end of the post securing the adjacent ends of the strings, a bridge, means at the upper end of the post for adjusting the tension applied to the individual strings, and a magnetic pick-up near the bridge operatively connected to an amplifier and speaker.

An important feature of the respective instruments is two sets of one or more coacting rollers which are ar ranged transversely of the strings, on opposite sides thereof, the rollers of one set having annular grooves therein each corresponding to one of the strings.

The two sets of rollers are arranged to travel together, longitudinally of the strings, with a slide element or carriage on which they are mounted which is movable reciprocally in a vertical direction relative to the post in response to the rocking motion of one of the above mentioned treadles.

In use the two instruments which comprise the invention are generally similar to a Hawaiian guitar, but differ substantially therefrom as hereinafter described.

In playing a Hawaiian guitar, for example, pressure is applied to all of the strings at the same time, at different points relative to their lengths, while at the same time acting on one or more of the strings with a pick.

According to this invention the two sets of rollers grip the strings between them, whereby the effective length of each of the several strings is varied by longitudinal adjustment of the positions of the rollers relative thereto.

Each of the treadles is connected by linkage to a slide element or carriage on one of the posts carrying the rollers whereby the rollers are movable up and down the post, longitudinally of the strings, with the slide element or carriage, in response to rocking movement of the treadle.

The material of the rollers is important. It has been found that rubber rollers produce good base sounds, and plastic rollers tenor; steel rollers simulate the guitar; and hard wood (ebony) rollers make all around good sounds.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a one-man band apparatus embodying the invention, illustrating the manner in which it is used;

FIG. 2 is atop plan view;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view showing details of construction.

Referring to the drawing, the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 includes a pair of stringed instruments of the electric guitar type, as hereinafter more fully described, which are designated generally by the numerals 1 and 2, respectively.

The instruments 1 and 2 each have an upstanding post, indicated by the numeral 3, which corresponds to a guitar neck. The posts 3 of the respective instruments 1 and 2 are mounted on a common platform or base, indicated by the numeral 4, in spaced apart relation to each other, with the strings of the instruments, indicated by the numeral 5, which are arranged along one side of the respective necks or posts 3, facing laterally outwardly in opposite directions.

In one form thereof, shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the invention includes a pair of treadles 6, one corresponding to each of the necks or posts 3, which are mounted on the platform or base 4 between the posts 3, and two other pedals 7, also mounted on the base 4, which are positioned laterally outwardly relative to the posts 3, on opposite sides of the base 4.

The treadles 6 advantageously may have upward extensions, one of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and indicated by the numeral 8, which form, with the treadles 6, hand operable levers.

Either or both of the pedals 7 on opposite sides of the base 4, which coact with connecting linkage 9 to operate one or more picks 10 arranged to traverse the strings 5 of the corresponding instrument, may be replaced by mehcanical means including an electric motor 11 and speed reducing means 12, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Each of the instruments 1 and 2, which does not include a sound box, has means at the lower end of the post 3 securing the adjacent ends of the strings 5, a bridge 13, means at the upper end of the post 3 for adjusting the tension applied to the individual strings 5, and a magnetic pick-up 14 near the bridge 13 operatively connected to an amplifier and speaker 15, shown in FIG. 1.

An important feature of the respective instruments 1 and 2 is two sets of one or more coacting rollers 16, 17 which are arranged transversely of the strings 5, on opposite sides thereof. The rollers 17 have annular grooves in their outer peripheral surfaces each corresponding to one of the strings 5.

The rollers 16, 17 are arranged to travel together, longitudinally of the strings 5, with a slide element or carriage 18 on which they are mounted which is movable reciprocally in a vertical direction relative to the post 3 in response to the rocking motion of one of the treadles 6.

In use the rollers 16, 17 grip the strings 5 between them, with each of the strings 5 in engagement with a corresponding groove in one of the rollers 17, whereby the effective length of each of the several strings 5 is varied by longitudinal adjustment of the positions of the rollers 16, 17 relative thereto.

Each of the treadles 6 is connected by linkage 19 to the corresponding slide element or carriage 18 whereby the rollers 16, 17 are movable up and down the post 3, longitudinally of the strings 5, with the slide element or carriage 18, in response to rocking movement of the treadle 6.

The material of the rollers 16, 17 is important. It has been found that rubber rollers produce good base sounds, and plastic rollers tenor; steel rollers simulate the guitar; and hard wood (ebony) rollers make all around good sounds.

The invention may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In a one-man band apparatus, the combination of a platform or base having a stringed instrument of the electric guitar type arranged-thereon, the instrument having an upstanding post corresponding to a guitar neck mounted on the base, and having a plurality of strings arranged along one side of the post, a treadle on the base, on the side of the post opposite the strings, a slide element or carriage on the post adjustable longitudinally relative thereto in response to rocking movement of the treadle, two sets of one or more rollers on the carriage extending transversely of the strings, on opposite sides thereof, in gripping relation to the strings whereby the eifective length of the strings is adjustable in response to longitudinal adjustment of the positions of the rollers relative thereto, and mechanical means on the base, on the side of the post opposite the treadle, acting on one or more picks to cause them to traverse the strings.

2. The structure of claim 1, the mechanical means including a foot operable pedal and connecting linkage.

3. The structure of claim 1, the mechanical means including an electric motor and speed reducing means whereby it is driven.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 134,679 1/1873 Knafil 84318 751,880 2/1904 Stevenson 84-318 1,749,862 3/1930 Wanek 84-170 3,443,468 5/1969 Kidwell 84-32Q X STEPHEN J. TOMSKY, Primary Examiner J. F. GONZALES, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

